As automobiles increasingly rely on electrical components, the number of electrical terminals necessarily increases. In that the electrical components interact with one another, it is increasingly important that electrical connections be properly made so that each contact carries the current load which it is expected to transmit. In automobiles, electrical connections are frequently subjected to impacts and vibration due to the motion and vibration caused by both vehicular motion and engine operation. In addition, since many electrical components are proximate the engine of a vehicle, the components are subjected to heat. Moreover, moisture and road dirt can over time invade electrical terminals when from time to time the terminals are disconnected for maintenance purposes.
Preferably, electrical terminals should maintain good contact when connected, while allowing the terminals to be easily both initially connected, and subsequently disconnected and then reconnected, perhaps a number of times. Over time, many currently available electrical may terminals fail to continuously transmit adequate current and, from time to time, may fail when being disconnected and reconnected.
It is also highly desirable to maximize the current carrying capacity of electrical terminals so that their physical size may be minimized as well as their number.